Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage emotions and there are some enlightening quotes about emotional intelligence that will make you think. In 1985, Wayne Payne introduced this term in his doctoral dissertation and this concept of emotional intelligence was then developed by psychologists Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer in the 1990s. It centers on the belief that emotionally intelligent people can recognise their feelings and rein in their negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety and aggression. Emotionally intelligent people can also work with others to help them recognize their negative emotions and the impact it is having on their lives. It is this emotional intelligence that helps us to remain at peace with the world and avoid conflict. Here are my favorite quotes about emotional intelligence.
1 Aristotle
Anger is one of those emotions that can sometimes spiral out of control, and however how hard we try, we can become engulfed by animosity as a result of something that someone has said or done. Answering softly or remaining calm in the face of adversity can also be a challenge. This quote not only reminds me about the need to remain at peace with others but also, as my mother always used to advise me, to 'choose your battles wisely.' This is one of my favorite quotes about emotional intelligence.
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2 Blaise Pascal
This quote reminds me of the fact that sometimes, both sides are to blame to a certain extent. When an argument ensues, it's often because one party feels as though they have been wronged in some way, but this quote also helps to remind me that none of us are perfect and that when an argument flares up, it may be a case of taking a step back and allowing time to pass, so we can remember that with time, everyone involved will gain a new perspective.
3 Benjamin Disraeli
This fabulous quote really reminds us to have no regrets. We may have done something that in hindsight may not have been the best thing to do and it's easy to wallow in self pity whilst agonizing over the 'what ifs' and the 'would 'aves, could 'aves and should 'aves.' And as much as we would love to turn into Superman and fly round the world so fast that the earth starts to spin backwards, we can't. No regrets, ladies.
4 Fridtjof Nansen
This is one of my favourite quotes about courage and recognizing the power that our internal dialogue can have. It also really highlights the fact that we're the only obstacles to achieving our dreams. Have the courage to continue ladies, no matter what.
5 Epictetus
This is a great quote and reminds us that it's mostly the negative energy within us that stops us from doing what we want to do. We all have a private commentary going on in our heads but it's what we do with it that matters. It's natural to think of the consequences of our actions, but if we're perpetually debilitated by thoughts of what may happen, it can stand in the way of us pursuing our goals.
6 Marcus Aurelius
This quote about really, truly living reminds me not to have regrets. It also reminds me about how much time we waste, doing all sorts of things that may not really matter. You never want to regret all the things you did not do; you never want to look back and see that you never did the things that really made you happy.
7 Nagarjuna
This is a great quote about having goals and actually reaching them. You can have courage and wisdom but they must be for a purpose. Set yourself a higher purpose and always have a dream, so you can become one of the precious few who really accomplish something in your life. That too will help you lead a life with no regrets.
So these are some of my favorite quotes about emotional intelligence. An interesting book about this very topic is of course the number one bestseller from 1995 by Daniel Goleman, entitled Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ. Which are your favorite quotes and do you have any others you would like to share?
